


Responsibilities

by mixiz877



Series: S12 AU - Cassie World [1]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Case Fic, Chases, F/M, Griffins, Hurt Dean Winchester, Hurt/Comfort, Kidnapping, Men of Letters Bunker, Missing tag would give it away, Old Flames, Protective Dean Winchester, Revelations, Sam dirties Impala, season 12 au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-31
Updated: 2017-02-17
Packaged: 2018-09-12 02:15:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 12,866
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9051274
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mixiz877/pseuds/mixiz877
Summary: Mary is wondering if her boys being hunters means, that she won't ever have grandkids, when a phone call about Dean's old flame Cassie being in trouble shakes things up...





	1. Chapter 1

Mary was sitting at the table in the bunker, enjoying one of Dean's famous burgers. In light of herself being a dreadful cook it was amazing to find her son got the hang of it despite growing up on the move. She sighed and looked up, just in time to see Sam grab a plate from Dean and walk over to join her.

"He's a wizard with those burgers," Sam grinned and looked fondly at the burger, then his brother, before taking a bite.

"I heard that, Sammy," Dean called over his shoulder, not turning around as he flipped his own patty. Rolling his eyes, Sam shrugged at his mother's querying face.

"It's Sam, Dean," he automatically replied.

"See if I care, baby brother. You can threaten me, but you can't stop me from calling you Sammy," Dean explained non-chalantly as he expertly stacked lettuce, patty, tomato and what not on his creation. Sam could have sworn he even saw him salivating. "Unless you prefer Samuel."

Sam, who had just taken another bite out of his burger, almost choked on it, ending up in an indignant snort, which made both Mary and Dean chuckle. Strolling over, plate with burger in one hand, three bottles of his favorite brusky in the other, Dean settled at the table to complete the family dinner.

"Dean!" Sam challenged him when he'd successfully managed to navigate his food down the right pipe and washed down some crumbs with a sip of beer. "It's Sam."

"So, does that mean I only get to call you Sam, too?" Mary smiled at her youngest.

"Ye... um, that's different," Sam stuttered. "I mean, you're my mom."

"Hey, and I raised you, jerk. Who do you think wiped your stinky bum when you'd soiled your diapers?" Dean raised a challenging eyebrow.

"I... jeez, Dean, not cool. I'm eating." Sam felt cornered.

"Right. So I sort of get mom rights. That settles it. Bitch." Dean sounded rather pleased with himself. Silence once more settled over the dining table, only disturbed by sounds of chewing and food appreciation and the occasional clonking of a bottle being returned to the table.

"Dean?" Mary ended the wordless stint, pushing her empty plate aside and cradling the beer bottle. Dean looked up at her and stopped chewing.

"Yeah?" He squeezed out miracuously without dropping any food from his mouth. Mary chuckled.

"Thanks for the burger. Best I ever had!" 

"Ummm, y'welcome," Dean mumbled, then resumed chewing, but he couldn't keep a wide grin off his face.

"Pity there are no kids to enjoy their dad's culinary skills," the female Winchester added as an afterthought. Dean froze and then swallowed noisily, before downing a big mouthful from his beer. Even Sam had stopped studying the lable on his bottle and the brothers stared at their mother.

"Err, yeah, you know... this line of work isn't exactly suitable for kids to grow up in, mom," Sam rasped as Dean was still trying to process his mother's insinuation. He got her. She was back from the dead, after thirty odd years. Her babies were overgrown men. Grandchildren would give her a way to see some offspring of hers growing up.

"I know," Mary admitted softly. "I didn't mean to imply anything. I just... I never wanted this for you. I wanted you to be able to have your own families. Teach your kids to ride a bike, throw a ball."

"Yeah, wishful thinking. The man upstairs had other ideas for us." Dean had found his voice again.

"Literally," Sam added. Mary nodded.

"I still can't wrap my mind around all the angel business, let alone God or his sister."

"Takes some getting used to," Dean nodded.

"So, have you never stayed anywhere long enough to have a girlfriend? I mean... you're... nevermind. Forget I asked anything." Mary's courage to find out more about her boys' love lives - or lack thereof - suddenly deserting her.

"Well," Sam sighed, kicking back in the chair. "There was Jess. She was my girlfriend at Stanford. She... died." Sam didn't want to get into details, yet. He was quiet for a moment. "Amy...," he started, but Dean cut him off.

"Amy? You were like what? Twelve? And she was a monster."

"Dean!" Sam growled. Dean held up his hands in surrender and Mary frowned. Monster caught her attention, but she knew she'd have to bide her time with that.

"Then there was Amelia," Sam continued, ignoring his brother. "Stayed with her for a year when Dean was... gone."

"Mom knows about purgatory, Sam," Dean chimed in, earning himself another glare from his brother. "Don't forget Ru..."

"DEAN!" Sam banged his hand on the table. "Not your story to share!"

"Okay, okay, chill out," Dean said soothingly.

"You know mom, actually you **are** a grandma," Sam supplied, glaring at Dean. "Her name was Emma. She was an amazone. Yeah, that's right. Her mom was, too. How was that about monsters, Dean?"

"Don't do that, Sam," Dean said in a low voice. "I didn't know she was a monster when I hooked up with her."

"What happened?" Mary tried to break her sons' glaring. 

"Sam killed her," Dean supplied.

"After she tried to kill **you** , Dean. And you couldn't do it," Sam explained, less strain in his voice now. "I couldn't let her kill you."

"I know, Sammy."

There was a moment of silence before Sam spoke again.

"Ben."

"Ben?" Mary queried.

"Lisa swore he isn't mine, Sam," Dean sighed. "I have no reason not to believe her."

"Well, have you met him, Dean? His looks, his mannerisms? His likes?"

"She said she had a type," Dean mumbled. "I lived with them for over a year. Don't you think she'd eventually have told me if he were mine?"

"No, she wouldn't have," Sam stated, scratching his neck. "She knew that sooner or later you would be sucked back into hunting, and she knew you'd break apart if you had to stay. **And** she knew that if you knew Ben was yours, you would never leave and it would tear you apart."

Dean swallowed. "Doesn't matter. No proof means not mine."

"I'm sure Cas could say for sure."

"No, Sam." It was Dean's turn to bang his hand down. "We're not going there. Not now, not ever!"

"Boys," Mary chimed in. "Don't fight. I was just... I guess I was somehow thinking a grandchild could give me what I missed with you. Let it go." She could sense it was a sore spot with Dean.

"Personally, I think you should have given Jo a real chance, Dean. She was totally into you, and a hunter. We could have set up camp at the Roadhouse... or elsewhere, go on hunts from there... and you could have spawned a half dozen hunter brats." Sam's tone was light, playful.

"Please, Sammy, leave Jo out of it. I... she...," Dean didn't know what to say.

"Well, she loved you. Clear as day."

"Who's Jo?" Mary carefully inquired. Dean just shook his head and got up.

"Dean?" Mary frowned.

"I just need a moment," Dean replied in lieu of an excuse and left the room heading towards the garage. He didn't want to talk about Lisa or Ben, but least of all he wanted to talk about Jo.

"Are you going to tell me about Jo?" Mary addressed Sam after Dean was out of sight. Sam looked at her for a moment and nodded.

***

Dean was sitting in his beloved Impala, trying to figure out why that topic was unsettling him so much. He would have been elated to hear Lisa say Ben was his. But Sam was right. He'd have stayed and it would have torn him apart. As for Emma, that _adventure_ \- for lack of a better term - had been downright scary.

Jo. Now that was a touchy topic. Sam was right again. Dean hadn't been oblivious to her attraction to him. Hell, he'd been attracted to her the moment she punched his nose. She was a hunter, had spunk, good looks... and ended up dead because of him, even though he tried not to love her. It had taken him a good while to get over her death, not that he showed it. And then she came back. As a ghost. And just like that, Dean had been shaken again.

Dean's fingers were tracing the pattern of the steering wheel, not that he was aware of it. He was lost in his mind, thinking about people he loved and lost. The chirping of his phone made him jump. Quickly snatching it from his pocket, Dean glanced at the caller ID and snorted humorlessly. What were the odds that he ran away from talking about old flames only to get a call from one. Dean's finger hovered over the red button. He didn't wanna chat. Then he moved it over to the green and accepted the call.

"Heya Cassie, long time no talk. What's up?"

Silence met his words and Dean frowned. He hadn't talked to Cassie in years, not since Sam and him helped saving her from the vengeful ghost of the killed driver. Damn. That weren't years, it was a decade.

"Cassie?" Dean sounded worried much to his dismay.

"Not Cassie. It's Cadie," a young, female voice corrected him. "My mom told me to call this number if there should ever be trouble... of the weird kind. Are you Dean?"

Dean swallowed. Her mommy. Cassie had a little girl. Somehow that stung and Dean didn't even know why. Sure, they had a thing, once. Or rather twice. But it had never been about commitment. Shaking these thoughts off, Dean hurried to reply.

"That's me. Where's your mom, Cadie?"

"She disappeared. People here get snatched. They disappear. And the damned police don't know what to do," Cadie ranted, voice changing from scared to unimpressed. "It's five people missing now, including my mom. When this started, she'd said she wished you were here 'cause you'd know what to do. But she didn't wanna call you." Cadie was quiet for a moment. "Now, she's gone. And I'm calling you. Can you help me get my mom back?"

"You still in Missouri?" Dean asked.

"Yep. Never moved."

"Right. We'll be there in the morning. Sit tight, Cadie."

Dean shut the door of his trusted chevy and strode back his family. Two sets of eyes met him, both immediately sensing something was up. Sam's eyebrows knotted in a silent question.

"Got us a case, I think. We're heading to Cape Girardeau. You coming with, mom?" Mary nodded as Sam's eyes grew wide.

"Isn't that were Cassie lives?"

Dean sighed, studying his feet. Then he nodded. "She's missing."

"How do you know?" 

"Because her daughter just called me."


	2. Chapter 2

Sam woke with a start, needing a moment to figure out where he was. Sleeping in the back seat of the Impala while Dean was driving was not what he usually did, but Mary had claimed shotgun and much to Sam's dismay, all Dean had done was laugh at him. With a frown, Sam realized it was the lack of movement that woke him. The calming purr of Baby's engine was missing. He sat up and squinted at the bright light of the sun.

"Time for breakfast?" Sam asked, trying to stifle a yawn. 

"Later," Dean replied. "In case you hadn't noticed, Sleeping Beauty, we have arrived." A soft chuckle floated over from Mary to her son.

"You drove all night?" Sam frowned. "What time is it?"

"A little after 7am," Mary replied, looking fondly at her youngest.

"What? Dean! Did you fill the car with rocket fuel?" 

"No," Dean and Mary replied in unison, and Mary added. "But he's got a lead foot that doesn't care much for speed limits."

"And you let him speed?" Sam had a hard time keeping the disbelief out of his voice. Mary shrugged.

"He's a safe driver. Why waste time?"

Dean laughed. "And that, Sammy, is why she gets to sit shotgun and you don't. She doesn't whine about speed limits."

Feeling in a childish mood, Sam stuck out his tongue at Dean behind his back and stretched. Then he looked around. Dean had parked Baby in front of a diner. Upon seeing the sign, Sam's stomach growled. 

"Breakfast?" He said hopeful.

"Okay, okay. Go on ahead. You know what i like. I will call Cadie to let her know we arrived," Dean nodded, pulling his phone out, while Mary and Sam made their way out of the car and over to the diner. Once the door had closed behind them, Dean pulled up Cassie's number and pressed dial. After three rings, the call connected.

"Dean?" Cadie's voice sounded sleepy, but not like he had woken her. However, it made her sound younger. Yesterday, Dean hadn't been bothered wondering how old the girl was. He had thought her to be around nine years old. Right now, she sounded like six.

"Cadie, it's me, yes. Are you okay? Is there someone with you? Looking after you?" Concern colored Dean's low drawl.

"Yeah, fine. And I can take care of myself. I'm not a baby, you know," Cadie answered, fight creeping into her voice.

"Alright, chill out. Where's your dad, then?" 

Silence met Dean's question and he was briefly pondering whether Cadie hadn't heard him or chose to ignore him. Then he heard her take a deep breath.

"He's not around. He doesn't live with us so leave him out of it."

"Right. Cadie, the reason I called is to tell you we're here," Dean changed the topic. Immediately, Cadie sounded more cheerful.

"You are? Wow, did you fly?"

"No," laughed Dean. "I just drove like a madman. Sam scolded me for it but my m..., but Mary backed me up."

"Sam is your brother, right? My mom mentioned you had a brother."

"Yeah, he is. He's a Sasquatch sized pain in the ass little brother," Dean grinned.

"Who's Mary?"

Dean was quiet. He couldn't exactly tell Cadie she was their mother when she looked their age or even younger. It would be too much to explain.

"That's my cousin. She kicks ass, like you."

" 'kay," Cadie yawned. "Where are you now? I can't see the black car."

"We're at a diner, starving. I drove all night... wait. How do you know my car?" There was a frown appearing on Dean's forehead.

"Mom," Cadie supplied curtly. "I think she digs that car." Dean snorted.

"Yeah, I bet. Look, Cadie, we're gonna grab a bite to eat and then pitch up on your doorstep. Should we bring you some breakfast? Ya know, as a bribe?" Soft laughter reached Dean's ear and he smiled. 

"You bring some donuts and we're ace," Cadie said between giggles.

*****spn*****

Cadie was staring out of the window, overlooking the driveway, waiting for a black car to pull up. Her mother had mentioned this Dean and his brother once in a while, usually when there was something weird written in the papers. She knew who Dean was, and she knew her mom still loved that man. But she hadn't ever shown her a picture or anything, so the only thing Cadie knew was that he was driving a black 67 Impala. Cadie wasn't really into cars, but she had looked this one up on the internet and had fallen in love with it. She had no idea why. Now she was tapping her fingers, impatiently waiting for the black beauty to pull up.

A low rumble heralded their arrival and Cadie could feel her pulse quicken. As soon as the dark shade appeared at the gate, the girl abandoned her spot by the window and dashed down the stairs to open the door. It was one thing to see that car on the computer screen, but entirely another to see it in all its glory, big as life. Cadie gasped and her lips pulled into a grin she only dropped when the doors of the Chevy opened and three people emerged.

The driver - Dean, as Cadie assumed - unfolded his tall frame from the seat and Cadie gasped. She knew nothing about men really, but this one was good looking by her standarts. The other man - Sam - was even taller and not hard to look at either, but the long shaggy hair made her laugh. Behind him, the blonde woman - cousin Mary - who reminded her of her teacher, looked tiny, but as they approached, Cadie noticed she was easily as tall as her mother.

"Cadie?" Dean asked, an eyebrow cocked up slightly. He looked like he had been expecting someone else. Or maybe he was looking for her mom in her features. Cadie nodded.

"You must be Dean," she greeted, extending one hand. Dean stared a moment, them took her hand and gave her a gentle squeeze.

"Sorry for staring, Cadie, but I was thinking you were a bit younger," Dean explained his puzzled gaze. He was obviously confused. Cadie laughed. She knew she was quite tall for her age and easily was mistaken for a teenager.

"I'm almost eleven," she readily provided, not missing the exchange of looks between Dean and his brother. 

"Right," Dean smiled. "You're tall. What has your mother been feeding you?"

"Probably same thing he's eating," Cadie nodded at Sam, who laughed.

"Heya, Cadie, I'm Sam, Dean's brother," Sam introduced himself. "And that is..."

"Your cousin Mary, I know," Cadie cut in. "Nice to meet you all. Care to come in?" She stepped aside and then walked up ahead, leaving the Winchesters to follow.

*****spn*****

"So, all they found at the abandoned vehicles were giant feathers and deep gauges in the roof of the cars?" Sam repeated Cadie's words. Cadie nodded, chewing on a custard filled donut, icing sugar all over her face.

"Like some'ne used a giant knife on a tin," she managed to speak around the food.

"Have you seen those feathers, sweety?" Mary asked, gently putting a hand on Cadie's forearm.

"I wasn't supposed to, but I did. They were green and blue."

"Green and blue?" Dean repeated with a frown. 

"Not an angel feather," Sam mused, earning himself an elbow to the ribs curtesy of Dean. Cadie laughed.

"Angel feather?" She stuffed the last bits of the donut in between her lips. "Don't tell me angels are real."

The three Winchesters exchanged meaningful looks. Then Sam shrugged. 

"It's besides the point because your mom and those people weren't taken by an angel."

"But what happened to them?" 

"We're working on that, Cadie," Sam replied calmly. "In the meanwhile, do you have a relative or a friend you can stay with?"

"I've been doing fine on my own, Hulk," Cadie retorted, slightly offended. "I ain't no baby."

"Sam didn't mean it like that, Cadie," Dean intervened. 

"I know. I'm sorry. I... just want my mom back," Cadie seemed to deflate somewhat. "I guess I can go stay with my friend. Reese just lives down the street. I'm sure her parents won't mind."

*****spn*****

Sam was hacking away on his laptop, watched by the eagle eyes of Mary. It still boggled her mind how a device that small could hold so much information.

"I think it has to be some kind of bird," Sam thought out loud. "And a big one at that. Big enough to have claws sharp and strong enough to slice open a metal roof..." He trailed off, reading through some lore.

Dean was sitting on the couch, feet propped up on the coffee table. He ignored his mother's disapproving glance and closed his eyes, forehead drawn in a frown. It was quiet. Only Sam's tapping and their breathing disrupting the silence. Sam sighed.

"Not a Harpie, not a Thunderbird... the color doesn't match. Not a Phoenix, not a..."

"It's a Griffin," Dean said, not moving.

"What?" Sam quickly typed in the word.

"A Griffin," Dean repeated, sitting up. He rested his head in his hands, lack of sleep from driving whole night catching up to him. 

"He's right," Mary nodded. "Blue and green feathers, claws as sharp as a diamond razor... size fits."

Sam's fingers stilled as the lore about Griffins appeared on the screen of his laptop. His eyes flew over the text, taking in all the information like a sponge. 

"Damn," he finally said. "Damn, damn, damn."

" 'ts wrong?" Dean mumbled.

"It's gonna take some serious tracking and climbing to find it's lair. Good news is, it keeps it's prey alive as long as possible. Bad news is... do we have a lance?"

"A lance?" Mary raised an eyebrow.

"A golden one, to be exact," Sam said pointedly.

"I might know where to find a golden spear," Mary piped up.

Sam and Dean both sat up, seemingly piercing Mary's skull for information. She looked from one son to the other and then chuckled nervously.

"There's this Egyptian Museum a few towns over. Been there with my father once some years, or maybe now decades, ago. Unless they've done some serious redecoration they have a golden spear," she explained.

Sam nodded. "Worth a try."

Dean sighed and picked himself up. "Let me get some more coffee and get geared up. Any idea where the lair might be?"

"The five people that disappeared had their cars all found just outside the east end of this town. There is one water tower, a radio tower and an abandoned sightseeing tower. That would be my guess," Sam provided the results of his research.

"When did you geek have time to check that? You only just heard what we're dealing with," Dean frowned. Sam chuckled.

"Well, the feathers kinda gave away it was a bird. Angel was never really an option, because of the claw marks. Birds usually nest high..."

"Alright, alright, Steve Irwin, you win. Let's get the spear and we hunt ourselves a Griffin. And just for you being a geek, mom gets shotgun again."

"Jerk," Sam muttered.

"Bitch!"


	3. Chapter 3

_When Cassie opened her eyes, she felt nothing. Not warm, not cold, no pain, no hunger or thirst. All she could see was blue skies above her. No clouds, no planes. No sounds reached her ears. She couldn't move. Not even wriggle her toes._

_The last thing she remembered before this was driving in her car, mind on getting home to her daughter as quick as possible, with the disappearances accumilating. Last thing she wanted was Cadie to be alone any longer than neccessary. Out of the blue a smothering shadow had blocked he sun from her view. Instinct told her to hit the brakes, but all she remembered now was a deafening screeching, like fingernails on a black board and then... nothing._

_Cassie blinked sluggishly, but her view didn't change. She tried turning her head, but her body felt like floating in cotton wool and she wasn't sure she succeeded because the blue of the sky never changed. All of a sudden, regret washed through her body. When the first person in her village had disappeared, she'd thought the circumstances were strange. Winchester strange only popped in her mind when a few days later, another person disappeared in the same manner. Number three had her think about calling Dean for the first time, but she didn't. Because somehow calling that man would be admitting she thought this was an unnatural occurance._

_Then the fourth person was gone, like swallowed from the face of the earth, and Cassie realized the police had no clue what they were dealing with. She had been thinking out loud, saying she'd probably better call Dean, unawares that Cadie was in the room and heard her. She didn't want to scare her girl._

_"You never call Dean," Cadie had said, jolting Cassie into realizing she had company and been speaking out loud. "You always say you will but you never do. So what difference would he make?"_

_"Baby, you weren't supposed to hear that, but believe me, he would make a difference," Cassie had told her daughter. "He's a good man. Him and his brother."_

_"Then why isn't he here?"_

_"He's a free spirit, Cadie. What he does helps people. In cases where police could never help."_

_"Even more so, why isn't he here?"_

_"Baby, not many people work in that line. And sadly, most people think what he does is crazy. He's crazy. I know he isn't. I've seen for myself."_

_Cadie had studied her mother for a moment. "You should call him," she had said and turned to leave the room. Cassie had nodded. But she hadn't picked up the phone. She didn't even know why she hadn't. And right now, she wished she had._

*****spn*****

Dean parked his Baby on the furthest edge of the lot belonging to the _Museum of Ancient Egypt_. For once luck had been on their side. Since it was tuesday, the one day the museum was closed, they didn't have to wait for closing hours for their mission. Sam had found out that the security system was as ancient as the exhibits, so getting in and locating the spear should be a piece of cake.

Walking around the length of the black Impala, Dean popped open the trunk to gear up as Sam and Mary stretched their legs.

"Son of a... what are _you_ doing here?" Dean exclaimed, eyes fixed on the person unfolding from the trunk. Sam and Mary quickly joined Dean to see Cadie climbing out of the car. "How did you get in there?"

Instead of an answer Cadie reluctantly held up a lock pick, before stuffing it in her pocket. Dean's eyes widened and he hastened to close the trunk to inspect the lock for damage.

"I swear to you if you scratched up my Baby...," Dean growled, scrutinizing the lock and the paint around it. Cadie huffed offended.

"I'm not an idiot, Dean. Go get a magnifier, you still won't find a scratch," Cadie snapped. Sam couldn't help himself and started laughing as Dean lovingly ran his fingers over the car's lock, earning himself a glare from his brother.

"Question remains, what are you doing here?" Dean persisted, features softening slightly as indeed he didn't find the slightest scratch on his Baby. "And where would you get a lock pick let alone know how to use it? Last time I checked your mom wasn't into anything non law abiding."

Cadie glared at Dean. "Mothers don't have to know everything," she said pointedly.

"Yeah I'm sure she'll be thrilled to learn that her daughter knows how to pick a lock - expertly. Again, why are you here?"

"You wanna get back my mom. So do I. And I wanna help. Gotta see if she's right," Cadie explained.

"Right about what?" Dean frowned.

Cadie sighed. "She once said with what you do, people would say you're crazy. But she says you're not."

"She's talking about me?" Dean raised an eyebrow, making Sam smile and shake his head whereas Mary looked confused.

"Yeah, well.... she told me about what happened to grandpa. And to be honest, that story is quite fantastic. As in unreal." Cadie looked at Sam and Mary as if to dare them to say something. Dean nodded.

"Yes, it is. But it's still true."

"Now, what are we going to do here?" Cadie looked around.

"We?" Dean echoed, glancing at his brother. "Sam, Mary and I will get a weapon we need to free your mom. You, however, will stay in the car until we get back." Cadie narrowed her eyes, but Dean didn't blink. 

"Fine," she finally snapped, crossing her arms in front of her chest, a defiant look on her face. She strolled around the black car and opened the passenger door.

"I'll stay with her," Mary declared. "You boys get the toothpick for that bird. Unless you need Cadie to pick that lock for you to get in." The female Winchester smirked when Dean opened his mouth, but then kept quiet.

"We'll manage, Mary," Sam replied and popped the trunk open again to grab some things. Dean followed suit and the boys headed towards the back entrance of the old building. Cadie watched as they disappeared inside after a short moment of tinkering with the door.

"So, now... you gonna babysit me?" Cadie asked Mary, annoyance clear in her voice. Mary smiled.

"Well, my girl, this was going to go only two ways. Either you tagged along, and we both know Dean would never do that because your mom would give him hell if she found out," Mary explained.

"Or?"

"Or they would leave you in the car and Dean would start worrying the moment he passed that door over there, that you might hotwire his Baby. So, to ensure that we get what we need to get your mom back without world war III breaking loose, I thought it was the most sensible thing I could do... waiting here with you." Mary finished and squeezed in next to Cadie. The girl looked at her hands for a bit and then nodded.

"Dean must trust you a lot," she said.

"I guess he does. Now why would you say that?"

"My mom told me a bit about him. I know they hooked up a few times. I think my mom regrets not sticking with him, though."

"What makes you think that?" Mary's soft voice enticed the girl to proceed.

"Well, she talks about him as often as my friend Reese talks about her puppy dog. And she always gets that look in her face." Cadie tried to give Mary a good impression of that look. Mary chuckled. "I feel like I've known Dean all my life instead of just having met him. And hearing the stories over and over, there was always this black car. Dean obviously loves this car. Now, I know he doesn't trust me, but I figure he trusts you."

"Dean doesn't know you. And you're a child. Don't forget that Dean was a child once, too. And from what I've heard, he grew up in the car. So, yes, he loves the car. So much that he rarely even lets Sam drive it. He's built her up from scratch a few times over. So don't hold it against him. He's a good man."

"Yeah, I know," Cadie nodded. "I just wish..."

"You just wish what, sweety?" Mary gently prodded when Cadie didn't continue.

"Nothing," she mumbled. "Nevermind."

Mary studied the dark haired girl for a moment. Then she wrapped her arm around her and pulled her close.

"We'll get your mom back safe and sound, you'll see. Dean will make it happen."

*****spn*****

Sam and Dean strolled through the dark corridors of the museum, their flashlights fluttering along the walls, checking each exhibit in every corner. They had already searched the ground floor and were now starting to explore the upper level. Sam hoped they wouldn't have to go to the basement scratching through the boxes with items currently not on display.

"You know, Sam, I wonder how much Cassie knows about what her daughter is up to," Dean started, letting his light linger on a pharao's death mask, before moving on.

"What do you mean? Because she knows how to pick a lock?" Sam grinned. "You knew how to do that at her age. Hell, you taught me how to do that when I was five."

"That's different, Sammy. We had to know to keep us alive. Cadie's supposed to have a safe home."

"Well, maybe she's just curious. Or into detective stories and she's trying to be as cool as the heroes," Sam suggested.

"Nah, Sam," Dean laughed. "She's an expert. Damn, if I asked you to pick Baby's lock - and no, you don't get a try - you'd have a hard time not leaving any scratches. There was nothing on the lock _or_ the paint, Sam. Nothing!"

"Could've been luck," Sam shrugged. "Or maybe the trunk was open and she's just pulling our leg."

"If you're insinuating that I forgot to close the trunk right before driving here from the diner, Sam..." Dean growled. Sam held up his hands in surrender.

"Alright, I know. I'm just saying."

"I got it."

"Never said you didn't, Dean."

"No, no," Dean quickly picked up. "I got it. I got the spear."

Sam's eyes now followed the beam of Dean's light and rested on a brightly golden shimmering spear, placed in a pharao statue's hand, positioned ready to be thrown. 

"Wow," Sam replied, stepping closer and taking in the intricate hieroglyph inscription. Carefully he traced his fingers over them, before wrapping them around it to extract the weapon from the statue's grip.

Merely a few minutes later, the two Winchesters left the museum through the same door they had entered and swiftly walked to the waiting Impala. Sam deposited the spear in the trunk while Dean slipped into the driver's seat.

"You two done some bonding?" He asked, winking at Cadie.

"As a matter of fact, we have," Cadie replied, a cocky grin on her face. "Mary is way cool."

"Great," Dean smiled extra wide. "Then you two can relocate your butts to the backseat. Sasquatch here needs to stretch his legs and i need his Google Maps mode up front with me."

Cadie giggled as Sam slammed the trunk a bit harder than neccessary at Dean's words, but didn't protest his orders. The girls got comfortable in the back seat and Sam climbed in at shotgun, throwing his brother a dirty look.

"Right, ladies, let's get this show on the road," Dean announced as he let the Chevy's engine roar to life.


	4. Chapter 4

"Why are we heading home?"

Cadie frowned. Sam had directed Dean towards the sightseeing tower they suspected to be the Griffin's lair. Mary even found a green and blue feather not far from where they parked the Impala at a roadsign stating the tower was another five miles to go, to scope out the area. When they had returned to the car, Cadie had thought it was to drive the last miles to the tower. They had the weapon, they had the location. What the heck was the hold-up?

"I thought we were going to catch ourselves a bird."

Sam and Dean exchanged a glance while Mary tried to stifle a laugh. Cadie frowned, knowing she would probably be dropped off by Reese for safekeeping and she didn't like that idea very much.

"Well, sweetheart, I love this car and I'm not going to risk her being sliced open like a fish can," Dean replied. "Besides, you saw the terrain... dirty roads, maybe even a plain dirt road. Now, that Baby can handle, but we will need to be more flexible than she can be around that tower. So, we're going to have to come up with some decent planning."

"And we need to come up with some tactics. Griffins are known to be very hard to deceive and kill," Sam added.

"Oh," Cadie nodded. "I almost thought you were going to ditch me at Reese's."

"We would, Cadie. You're a kid. But I know you'd follow us anyways and I'd rather have my eyes on you." Dean explained, a serious look on his face. Cadie glared at him briefly. Not because he said he would watch her, but because he had figured her out accurately.

"Now, what are you looking for, then? An ATV?" Cadie looked around and her eyes met Mary's. 

"Something that can accommodate at least five people," Sam thought out loud. "All terrain tyres would be ace, same as a sun roof or thereabouts."

"A sun roof?" Cadie laughed. "You wanna catch a tan, Hulk?" Sam bit his tongue and rolled his eyes, making his mother stifle a laugh.

"No, little Miss Nosey," Dean drawled without taking his eyes off the road. "We need combat space for the spear. Still wanna come?"

Cadie's eyes grew wide for a moment. Then she nodded quietly and pulled up her nose, thinking. 

"The McIntosh's across the road got a CJ-7, would that do? They're on vacation in L.A. right now, so it wouldn't be missed."

Dean looked at Sam, then caught a glance from Mary. A slight smile tugged on his lips and his eyes twinkled when both Sam and Mary nodded at him.

"As long as it isn't pink, I think it'll be aces." He winked at Cadie and she laughed out loud. 

"Actually, it's orange," she explained. Dean's eyes imitated flying saucers and Cadie broke out in a full blown laughing fit. Once she calmed down again, all three sets of eyes on her, she shrugged innocently. "What?"

"Orange?" Dean asked, slightly incredulous.

"Like, orange orange?" Sam added, drawing the shape of the fruit in the air with his finger. Cadie grinned on.

"Well, more like camouflage orange," she stated. "Orange is the new black." Cadie grinned and Mary chuckled.

"Boys, she's playing you both."

Dean drew his eyebrows together, looking stern. "What color, Cadie?" The girl sighed.

"Normal military camouflage green. Happy?"

"Yeah," Dean grunted along with Sam. "Very."

The next minutes passed in silence until Dean pulled the black Chevy into the Robinson's driveway. He still couldn't believe he had fallen for Cadie's joke. Taking a deep breath as he cut the engine, he glanced over at Sam and winked.

"Okay, let's get inside and plan out the battle, warriors."

*****spn*****

_The chirping of some birds were the only thing Cassie could hear for a good while. She had no idea how often she had drifted off to sleep. Now she was awake, painfully aware of all sorts of discomfort. Her limbs ached to be moved, stretched and flexed, or better yet, freed. Her bladder started to remind her it needed emptying some time soon and at the same time she felt thirsty._

_A noise to her left made her turn her head as far as possible. A few feet from her, she made out another person, trussed up just like herself, grunting and moaning through the gag around his mouth. Cassie remembered the people taken before her. How long was she here already? How long were they?_

_Cadie popped into her mind. She hoped her girl wasn't too scared and had sought support by her friend's family. Cassie wasn't fond of the idea of Cadie being alone and scared, but she knew her girl would find a way to keep herself safe._

_Suddenly, all the chirping around Cassie ceased. The silence was eerie, but short cut. The rushing of air and a noise like a giant sail flapping in the wind sent chills down her spine. A dark shadow blocked her view of the sky and when her eyes adapted, she could make out the gigantic shape of a bird-like creature._

_It was easily the size of a horse, but even much more muscular. The head resembled a bird of prey including a beak that let the bald eagle one's look tiny. Blue and green feathered wings sprouted from the furry torso, solidly muscled like a predatory cat. The claws at the end of each strong arm or leg reminded Cassie of daggers. They were black and shiny, looking sharp and hard as a diamond. Piercing orange eyes regarded her with interest for a few moments, before the beast cocked its head and then looked at what Cassie assumed was her fellow prisoner._

_The man must have noticed the attention of the monster on him and started whimpering 'please' and 'no'. A deep growl rose from within the beast, ending in a shrill cry. Then the massive wings stretched and the creature grabbed the man with the dagger blades on its feet and flew off, carrying the man as if he were a doll._

_Cassie's heart was pounding like mad while the victim's cries of pain faded in the distance. She had to get free. She had to get out of there before she ended up being bird food. The fear of not seeing Cadie ever again spurred on her efforts to get loose._

__

*****spn*****

Dean pulled the Jeep off the road and hit the brakes, stirring up a small dust cloud. He let the engine idle as he put the car in park. Then his forehead creased as he stared at the quite busy sightseeing tower some two hundred yards away. Cars were parked in front of it. Not many, about a dozen. People could be seen on top and on the ground, walking around, using binoculars and what not to take in the surrounding landscape.

"Abandoned my ass," Dean growled, sending a reproachful look at his brother. Sam looked confused and dug out an old map he'd found to figure where he'd gone wrong.

"I'm sure the internet said abandoned," he replied. "I wouldn't have considered it otherwise."

"It's the wrong tower," Cadie supplied from the back seat. Immediately the three Winchesters had their eyes on her. "This one they only opened last year. They built it because the old tower had been damaged by an earthquake. I heard it wasn't stable enough anymore and fixing it would have been to pricy. So they built this new one. They call it 'The Needle'. Maybe that's why it didn't come up on the net. You searched 'towers', right?"

"Err, yeah," Sam confirmed.

"The old tower is two miles in that direction," Cadie pointed her arm towards the passenger side. "But the road is crap. The quake destroyed it, too."

"Ah, but we have these offroad wheels. We'll be fine." Dean grinned, throwing the gear into drive, pulling off. He didn't get far. Only a couple of seconds in, a tremendous shadow crossed their path, headed towards the Needle. Four heads in the Jeep looked up, staring at the creature in the sky. It uttered a piercing cry, and even from where the boys were, they heard people shouting in fear. 

Mind made up, Dean glanced at the golden spear in Sam's hands before flooring the accelerator, speeding towards the tower. Braking again in a similar manner, the older Winchester jumped from the car the moment it came to a stand still and ran up to the beast. The Griffin had landed on top of a blue sedan, claws digging through the roof as the driver frantically tried to get away.

Not hesitating a second, Dean drew his gun, sending a few bullets at the monster. He knew he couldn't really harm the Griffin like that, but maybe he could distract it. An angry hiss escaped the supernatural creature as the bullets hit home and it let off the blue car, redirecting its attention at Dean. Being about twenty steps away, it didn't take the monster long to close the gap, walking on its hind legs. 

A man on a motorbike whisked past them, almost clipping the Griffin as he squeezed through the closing gap between the creature and Dean. Immediately, the predator pounced. The hunter forgotten, the Griffin showed off its flexibility as it grabbed the man right off the bike with a well timed swing of its claw and instantly it was airborne, its victim dangling in its grip.

Dean stared for a brief moment, then grabbed the still running bike and swung on, giving chase across the uneven terrain. Sam, who had been watching the scene unfold, thrust the spear into Mary's hands and scooted over, following his brother with the ATV.

When they caught up with them, the Griffin had landed on top of the ruined tower and Dean was about to find access to it.

"Dean, wait!" Sam cried as he cut the engine. For once his brother listened and stopped, turning towards them. Soon, three Winchesters and a Robinson were forging plans in the heat of the moment.

"We can't take Cadie with to the top," Sam argued. "Too dangerous."

"Well we can't leave her here, either," Dean countered.

"Why?"

"Cos the Griffin could swoop down and snatch her," Mary tossed in, one hand gripping the spear, the other one resting on Cadie's shoulder.

"What she said," deadpanned Dean, turning to shoulder barge the fragile door.

"Right, okay, but Dean, we can't just rush up there. We have no idea what we'll find there." Sam tried to reason with his brother.

"When do we ever?" Dean countered. He was on a mission and he wasn't going to let himself be stopped.

Sam sighed and thrust an angel blade into Cadie's hands. "If push comes to shove, use it. You know how to?"

Cadie stared at the blade and then nodded. 

"Good."

Just then the door splintered under Dean's pressure. The older hunter turned to look at Sam, Mary and Cadie. 

"Trust me, I have a plan. Let's go!"


	5. Chapter 5

Dean raced up the corkscrew stairs, his gun clutched tightly in his hand, Mary and the spear right on his heels, while Sam ushered Cadie up ahead of him. It was dark, but for the dancing beams of the flashlights the Winchesters carried, and Cadie stumbled once, almost dropping the angel blade. Sam's giant hands caught her before she hit the ground and set her on her way again.

Reaching the top, Dean slowed down, controlling his breathing. The door leading onto the platform was missing a few beams and sunlight swarmed the landing, providing the hunters with ample orientation. Dean huddled against the wall next to the door, motioning to his brother to take the other side. 

"Cadie," he hissed. "You stay in here, you hear me? Don't come out unless we tell you to. You're safe in here."

Cadie frowned. She didn't like the idea, but she caught the urgency in Dean's words. She wasn't stupid, so she nodded once and gripped the blade tighter. 

"See anything?" Dean whispered towards his brother. Sam swayed his head.

"Some feet. Human feet. You?"

"Feathers. Fugly is on your side. Mary, you ready?" Dean glanced at his mother who was brandishing the golden lance, ready for battle.

"Born ready," she replied. Dean grinned briefly and then looked at Sam.

"One. Two..." 

The brothers burst through the brittle door, splintered wood flying everywhere. The bundle to Dean's left shrieked briefly, causing the hunter to glance down. Tied up feet led to trussed up arms and finally a set of panicked, brown eyes looking back at Dean. Eyes, that grew wide upon recognizing him.

Not really having time, Dean blinked and nodded at Cassie. The next moment his undivided attention was on the Griffin. Sam was wrapping his long frame around the wall when Dean fired another two rounds, effectively drawing the gigantic bird-lion-like creature's attention on him. Behind the mighty animal, the snatched biker lay in a heap on the ground, obviously unconscious.

The Griffin screeched as Dean's bullets made holes in its hide, rising up on its hind legs, wings spread wide, winding up to swipe at the pesky human in front of him. Sam, not idle, emptied some more rounds into its body, moving along the wall away from Dean, to sway the Griffin's focus. Not being a dumb creature, the Griffin backed up, inevitably providing a gap for Mary and the spear.

Mary stepped up, the spear ready to stab at the bird, but when she got close enough to aim, the Griffin took off. Its mighty wings whirled up the dust on the platform, leaving behind a few blue and green feathers. With another screech, it flew off.

"Damn," Dean swore, never liking the idea of letting a monster get away. A moan from behind him washed away the regret as he fell to his knees next to Cassie, pulling down the gag. "Cassie, you okay?" Dean's fingers were already busy sawing through the bonds around her wrists. Cassie nodded between deep breaths. 

Mary had dropped the spear next to her and worked on the ropes around Cassie's feet, while Sam was checking on the downed biker before moving next to his brother.

"He's out, but alive," he mumbled, one hand on Dean's shoulder. "What are we going to do now?" Before Dean could reply, there was a gasp from the empty door frame.

"Mommy!" Cadie rushed out in the open to her mother. The very same moment a now familiar screech pierced the air and Sam looked up to see the Griffin sweep down, claws extended, ready to snatch Cadie.

"No!" Sam exclaimed, gun hand lifting up to shoot again. He was beaten though by Dean, who dropped the knife he was working on Cassie's bonds with and flung himself at Cadie, tackling her to the ground and out of the Griffin's path. The tower shook when the powerful claws hit the platform, an angry hiss coming from the monster's razor sharp beak. Dean was using his own body to shelter Cadie. She was out of reach. The unconscious biker, however, was not.

Changing plans, the Griffin sunk it's dagger-like claws into the prone body. The same moment Sam's bullets hit home. Enraged, the monster let go of its victim and took off again. Dean unwrapped himself from the protective hold on Cadie and grabbed the golden spear, which was still laying next to Mary. 

"Get her free and out of here, I'll distract that sucker," he yelled and dashed through the door, heading down the stairs.

"Dean!" Sam hollered, but he knew it was futile. Quickly, he picked up Dean's knife and finished freeing Cassie's hands. Lifting his eyes he saw Mary had cut the leg bindings, so he helped Cassie sit up. Immediately, Cadie wrapped her arms around her mother, burying her head in her hair. Sam exchanged a glance with Mary. When she nodded, he moved to check on the biker, doing his best to slow his bleeding.

*****spn*****

Dean burst through the door at the bottom and headed to the closest means of transport - the bike. It wasn't easy to grab the handlebars without dropping the spear, but Dean wasn't used to easy anyways. He turned on the engine and sped off across the bumpy, ragged landscape, away from the tower. A distant screech told him, the Griffin had noticed him. Dean made sure the golden spear was hit by sunlight to let its gleam lure the monster away from the tower.

When a large, dark shadow crossed over him, he knew his plan worked. But Dean was damned if it didn't amaze him how fast the monster moved when airborn. He had hoped to get further away before having to face the beak and claws. 

Gripping the spear even tighter, Dean put his left knee out and leaned over abruptly, taking a sharp turn on the uneven terrain that rattled his teeth. The shadow disappeard and the older Winchester straightened the bike and chanced a glance at the shape in the sky not too far away. The Griffin was changing direction to pursue him and Dean accelerated away.

*****spn*****

"Mommy, are you alright?" Cadie whispered into her mother's ear, hidden behind the long, bouncy curls.

"I am now, baby. I am now," Cassie sighed, voice trembling slightly, arms wrapped tightly around her girl. She had recognized Dean and known immediately that Cadie had called him. Now Dean was up and about, tangling with that thing that took her. She was scared. Scared that Dean had come to save her at the risk of his own life - again. Her eyes locked with Sam's.

"He'll be okay," Sam rasped reassuringly. _He has to be okay_ , he thought. Mary had joined him trying to help with the limp, bleeding man. They were tearing up his shredded shirt to fashion bandages for the worst wounds.

Cadie unwrapped herself from her mother's grip and held on to the rusty guard railing, her eyes searching for Dean and the monster. She could make them out a good distance away, watched as Dean performed some daring turns, trying to lose the ever closing in shape of the Griffin. Once he almost toppled over, kicking up so much dust that Cadie couldn't see him for a few moments, only to emerge from the dust, having gained a better distance between himself and the attacking bird.

"Come on, Dean," Cadie mumbled, watching on. "You can do it. I know you can."

*****spn*****

Dean shook off the dust and raced on. This latest zig-zag slide of his had created quite a dust cloud and although he couldn't really see the Griffin, he knew it wouldn't see him either. He floored it, speeding away in whichever direction he'd managed to turn the bike. When the dust cleared he realized he was headed back to the tower.

Knowing he couldn't really lead the man-snatching creature back to his friends, Dean made up his mind. The Griffin had yet to lay eyes on him again, so Dean hit the brakes, doing a 180 and came to a stand still facing the clearing dust cloud. The engine was still idling. Dean intended to keep it that way and set his feet on the ground. Keeping his left hand on the handlebar, he lifted the lance with his right, having it tip upwards to where he expected the Griffin to swoop down.

Dean took a deep breath in an attempt to calm his racing pulse. He really only had the one chance and he intended to make it count. If he missed the monster's heart, he'd be shredded to strips by the massive claws. Dean blinked and then quickly wiped across his dusty, sweaty face with his sleeve. When his arm with the lance was back in position the dust had cleared enough to show the hovering Griffin, not too far away.

Orange eyes focused on the smaller shape with the sparkling golden tip directed at it. The Griffin knew this human was armed with a fatal weapon, but wounded and enraged all it was capable of thinking was to eliminate the threat. Squinting, it lowered its head, extending the claws and darted down ready to strike.

Dean saw the Griffin charge him, still amazed at the speed it could achieve. Focused, he never even blinked when the shape grew bigger and the features grew clearer, scarier. His concentration was on hitting the target of a fast moving object and for a moment, time seemed to slow down. Eyes set on where he knew the heart had to be, he waited until the shadow swallowed him before bringing up the lance with all his might. There was a scream in the distance, a rush of blue and green along with a bone jarring impact. Dean felt the lance enter the Griffin's body, heard it's unearthly cry and then blue and green turned to black. He couldn't breathe, he couldn't hear, he couldn't feel. And then the blackness claimed him.


	6. Chapter 6

Sam knotted up his last makeshift bandage, leaving Mary to finish, and got up from his crouch to walk the few steps to Cassie. She had her back leaning on the ballustrade that her daughter was clinging to as she watched what was unfolding in the dust below.

"Come on, Dean," Cadie was repeating like a mantra. 

Sam smiled briefly before bending down to offer Cassie a helping hand up. On her feet, Cassie swayed slightly and Sam put his hands on her shoulders to steady her.

"Dizzy?" He asked.

"It's alright. Passed already." Cassie looked up at the younger Winchester brother. "Did she call you?" Sam nodded.

"She did. And she's keeping us busy." Sam chuckled and Cassie joined in. But before she could reply, Cadie screamed.

"Dean! NO! Leave him alone you ugly pidgeon!"

In no time both Sam and Cassie were at the ballustrade, Mary not far behind. Immediately Sam saw why Cadie was screaming. The Griffin was nose diving at his brother, who was keeping his position, the golden gleam of the spear reflecting in the light.

"Dean!" Sam's voice boomed across the open just when the bird and his brother collided on the ground, stirring up yet another cloud of dust. Not waiting for it to clear, Sam raced towards the staircase, taking three steps at the time. Reaching the bottom, he ignored the Jeep and instead sprinted the 200 yards to where the dust lifted from the unmoving form of the fallen monster. 

As he approached the scene, he heard the still running engine of the bike coming from behind the mountain of blue and green feathers. _Please don't let Dean be under that monster_ , Sam thought as he rounded the downed bird. The breath he hadn't realized he'd held escaped him when his brother's prone form materialized a good few yards from the oppressing weight of the Griffin.

"Dean," Sam called again, jogging the last few steps before falling to his knees next to him. "Hey, Dean," he repreated, gently shaking his shoulder. The older Winchester didn't move, but Sam's eyes were glued on the steady rise and fall of Dean's torso. As long as his brother was breathing, they could deal with things.

A noise to Sam's left tore his gaze off his dust covered brother. A shudder ran through the massive body of the Griffin, one orange eye half opened. Before Sam had the chance to consider what it meant, Mary appeared to forcefully shove the protruding haft of the lance even further into the creature's body. Then she withdrew the bloodied weapon. Her eyes met Sam's when she kneeled down on the other side of her son.

"How's he?" Mary's voice was gentle when she ran the tips of her fingers along Dean's stubbled, dirty cheek.

"He's breathing," Sam shrugged. "He's probably gonna feel like a semi hit him."

"Well, that will need stitches," Mary nodded her head at where Sam's hand rested on Dean's shoulder. Looking down, Sam lifted his hand to inspect it. It came away crimson and only now Sam noticed the blood welling up from a gash that ran from Dean's elbow up to his shoulder.

"Damn, those claws really sliced him good," he muttered, pulling off his plaid shirt to temporary dress his brother's wound. Mary offered her belt and Sam gratefully took it to tighten around Dean's shoulder to slow the blood flow to the left arm.

Mary had noticed a small darkened area in the dirt underneath Dean's right temple and carefully turned his head to reveal a slow bleeding abrasion. Sam had watched her ministrations and sighed.

"He must have dragged his head on the ground. Look at all the dirt in the wound."

"Yeah, he'll love cleaning that out," Mary replied, peeling open an eyelid to check her son's pupils. "He took a solid knock to the head, too."

"Concussion number 877," Sam grumbled. "Let's get the Jeep here. I don't think he needs to be carried back to the car. His ass is heavy."

"No need," Cassie's voice floated over as she stepped around the Griffin with trepidation. Were they sure that thing was really dead? Cadie was right at her side, her eyes narrowing when she took in Dean's battered form. "I brought the Jeep up here. I had a feeling he wouldn't be walking back to the tower on his own two feet after that collision."

A tiny smile tugged on Sam's lips as he ran his hands all over Dean's body to make sure there weren't any more injuries that they missed. By now he knew what Dean had seen in Cassie. Then he scooped up his brother bridal style, making sure his head was tucked against the crook of his neck and carried him the few steps to the Jeep. With Mary's help he wrestled the hunter into the back seat where Cassie squeezed in as well to keep an eye on him.

Sam slid behind the wheel while Mary and Cadie shared shotgun. Driving slowly across the jagged ground towards the paved road at the Needle, Sam stopped short when he saw the blue and red flashing lights of a police car ahead.

"Damn," he muttered. "If they stop us they're gonna ask what happened to Dean. Is there a detour, Cassie?"

"Um, yeah... I think. Turn around and head towards the outskirts of that forest over there," Cassie pointed across Sam's shoulder. "There's a farm road at the southern edge that'll bring you over to next town."

"Right. Let's go."

*****spn*****

Sam was cleaning Dean's stitched up arm one more time before applying some gauze and bandaging it up. Mary held out a cotton ball drenched in hydrogen peroxide that Cassie had stashed in her medicine box to Sam who used it to dab around the head abrasion. Dean grunted and tried to pull away, eyelids fluttering as he attempted to regain consciousness. Placing his left hand on his brother's sternum seemed to calm Dean down and allowed Sam to continue his ministrations.

"You're a butcher," Dean mumbled barely intelligible.

"Yeah, I think you'll live. You awake, Dean?" Sam tossed the bloodied and dirty ball in the trash and grabbed some more gauze, but Dean cracked open his eyes and swatted his hand away.

"I wou'n't be if your bedside mann'rs were mo' refined," was the growled response.

"You're welcome," Sam said pointedly. Mary smirked briefly at her sons' antics.

"Well, Sam, looks like you can handle your brother. I think I'll go help Cassie clean the Jeep. Someone left a bloody mess there." She patted Sam on the back and left, while Dean started to sit up.

"Whoa... take it easy, dude," Sam exclaimed as Dean screwed his eyes shut, lifting his hands to hold his head. His world tilted precariously in tandem with a vicious pounding in his head. A pained groan told Sam his brother had noticed the stitched up arm. Before Sam could remark on it, however, whatever color had been left in Dean's face, drained quickly to be replaced by a sickly shade of green. All senses on alert, Sam grabbed to bucket and thrust it in Dean's arms just in time. When Dean was done puking up his soul, as Cadie had put it, Sam had next to no resistance in getting him to lay down once more.

"C'ncuss'on?" Dean mumbled tonelessly.

"Number 877. Does it surprise you?" 

"N't re'lly," was the slurred reply. "You get th' numb'r of th' truck?"

"Sure, Dean," Sam huffed, patting Dean's hand affectionally. "It was blue and green, with feathers. And it's very dead now."

Dean stifled a snort as he processed the information. For a moment it was quiet. Then Dean seemed to remember something.

"Cassie?" He asked, struggling to sit up again, but Sam wouldn't allow it.

"She's fine. She's unharmed," Sam reassured his big brother.

" 'kay," Dean sighed. "And that other dude?"

"Sent an anonymous tip to the police," Sam supplied.

"P'lice?" Dean wrinkled his forehead. "Why?"

"They were snooping around," Cadie chimed in. "Way cool."

"An' the Griff'n?"

"Still have to take care of that. You were priority, Dean," Sam replied.

"What 'f the cops find it? Wasn't that far 'way from tow'r," Dean frowned and hissed, when his head wound complained. "Damn 't," he muttered.

"Dean, that thing is so big and heavy, they can't just load it up and take it away. And when they come with heavy equipment in the morning, they'll find a smoldering pile of ash." 

Dean grunted in acceptance, fingers absently picking on the bandaged arm.

"Hey, quit that," Sam admonished him.

"You're n't my mother, Sammy," Dean scowled but actually complied. Cadie laughed.

"You two are funny," she giggled and sat next to Dean, pointing at his arm. "Does that hurt?"

Dean slowly turned his head to look at her. When she saw her pointing at his arm he blinked and offered her a lopsided smile. "Jus' tickles, kiddo."

Cadie snorted and rolled her eyes. "Yeah, right. I watched Sam poke that needle through your skin. Looked like he was darning socks."

"Hey," Sam protested, offended. "I'm stitching up wounds better than some real docs, so don't come compare it to darning. I might just darn your socks together."

"Are you threatening my girl?" Cassie's voice made all three look up. Contrary to her words, her face was smiling, as was Mary who appeared behind her.

"Hey mommy," Cadie smiled. "Sam was just bragging about his stitching skills."

"As a matter of fact," Mary chimed in, "what I saw he has every right to brag. His stitches are damn neat." At her words Sam actually blushed slightly.

"Yeah, well, Dean's are even neater. He's had a lot more practise," Sam admitted.

"Sam's a butcher," Dean growled with a twinkle in his eyes. Sam opened his mouth to object, but Dean continued. "But... he's my favorite butcher. Would pick him over the finest doc in the country any day."

"Err, Dean," Sam countered. "You sure that isn't because we can't really go to a real doc?"

"Nope. But for your bedside manners, you're pretty damn good."

"Jerk," Sam muttered before grinning at his brother.

"Bit..."

"Dean!" Cassie interrupted the man, gesturing towards her daughter. "There are kids around."

"...ch," Dean finished and then smirked at Cassie. "I'm pretty sure she knows worse, don'tcha, princess?" He winked at Cadie, who returned the gesture. Cassie shook her head, acting exasperated.

"Now I remember why I decided against tagging along, back then. This blooming Winchester stubbornness."


	7. Chapter 7

"Really, Sam?" Dean was not a happy camper. "Did you have to ride her that hard through the dirt? Look at my Baby... she's soiled from roof to rims."

Angrily the older Winchester trudged around his beloved Impala, which was covered with a fine sheet of reddish dust. Dean hadn't been happy to start with that Sam wanted him to stay put when he went to salt and burn the remains of the Griffin. He had only relented when Mary backed Sam up. But, if he was honest, he was still feeling all of his encounter with the Griffin. His arm was hurting - and itching, his head was pounding and even spinning at times. Dean had been asleep when Sam and Mary returned from their mission.

When he had seen his beloved car in the morning, he was ready to strangle his brother. It wasn't like they had been on the run. The corpse wasn't going anywhere, no cops or monsters on their heels. Why couldn't he have driven slow enough not to stir up the dust on the ground?

"I'll help you clean her," Sam offered, but Dean just snorted.

"The hell you will. I'm not letting you near her till I know she's alright," Dean growled and pushed past Sam, running his fingers lovingly over the classic's frame, only to frown at the marks they left.

"Dean, you're not...."

"If you say I'm not up to it I'm gonna deck you," Dean snarled. Mary put her hand on Sam's arm.

"Let him be, Sam," she said soothingly. "Give him some space."

Reluctantly, Sam let Mary pull him away. They went inside where Mary started getting things together to have everything ready for breakfast when Cassie returned from the shop.

"Can I help?" Cadie popped up next to Dean when the other Winchesters were gone. Dean turned to study her a moment. 

"Can you bring me a soft cloth?" 

"Sure," Cadie turned to get back inside. A few minutes later she returned, dangling the desired fabric in front of her. "I brought two, so I can help."

"Cadie, I..."

"Look, I know. She's your Baby. But I didn't scratch her paint with the lock pick, what makes you think I will do so with a cloth?" She crossed her arms and cocked her head, daring Dean to deny her. Dean raised an eyebrow and then shrugged.

"If you put it like that, you can start with the trunk." Dean smiled to himself, a gesture that didn't escape Cadie. Happily she reciprocated the expression.

*****spn*****

Cassie pulled her car into the driveway, squinting at the picture that greeted her. Dean's Impala was filling most of the space, which was why she had barely pulled in. What puzzled her was seeing her daughter busy with the trunk. Cassie knew how possessive Dean was when it came to that car so she cut her engine and opened her door to get out.

"Cayenne Dean!"

Cadie's head shot up, eyes wide, as she stared at her mother. Cassie almost laughed at her expression that was so much like a toddler caught with the hand in the cookie jar. It was always amazing what reaction one got when calling the kids on their full names. Her smile faded somewhat when a second head popped up from the front of the black car.

"Heya Cassie," Dean greeted. "Didn't think you could see me from there."

"I couldn't," Cassie replied, tone somewhat contrite. Dean frowned and tossed the cloth he was holding onto the hood.

"Okay," he dragged the word, trying to buy time to make sense of it. His slightly hurting head didn't really help much. "Then why did you call me?"

"She didn't call you," Cadie explained, hands fiddling with the cloth in her hands. "She called me."

Dean blinked, looking at her, then let his gaze travel back and forth between Cadie and her mother, brain slowly registering the implication of those words. He scoffed.

"Right. I think you better run that by me again, cos my brain isn't working so great right now."

The three were standing a moment in silence, Dean trying to process the yet unconfirmed news, Cassie trying to figure out how to not make it sound too bad and Cadie feeling trepidation closing in on her. Finally Dean looked up, clearing his throat.

"So, Cadie is...?" He trailed off, eyebrows raised.

Cassie nodded. "Yes."

"And she knew it." It wasn't a question, really. Dean glanced at Cadie, catching tiny nod from her. The girl's eyes were big, and Dean understood she was scared.

"Wow," he said, taking a deep breath. Then he picked up the cloth again and resumed polishing Baby's hood. After a few moments however, he paused and looked pointedly at Cassie. "When were you going to tell me?"

Cassie sighed and stepped closer, relieved when Dean made no move to back away.

"Cadie? Go get the bags from the car, honey," she told her daughter. Cadie nodded and handed her cloth to Dean before complying to her mother's request. When Cadie had entered the house, Cassie put her hand over Dean's, that was resting on the hood. Dean looked down at their hands, a warm feeling washing over him.

"I gotta be honest, Dean," Cassie started, making Dean lift his head to look into her eyes. "I didn't really plan on _not_ telling you. The timing was just never right, I had no idea how you'd react and eventually time passed and things would have been more akward."

"Cos they aren't now?" Dean asked, voice rough with emotion. Cassie laughed briefly.

"Yeah, they are," she conceded. "But we have to deal with it now. You... don't look too upset?"

"I'm not upset, Cassie. Just stunned. I think I need a drink," Dean smiled shyly.

"No, Dean. No drink. You have a concussion," Cassie puffed indignantly. Dean shrugged.

"I need something to settle my nerves, it's not every day you learn you have a spitfire 11 year old daughter."

Cassie nodded, grinning like a Cheshire cat. "I might have an idea." She closed the gap between them and pressed her lips to his in a short, sweet kiss. When she broke it, Dean reached out to her to pull her close again.

"I might need more of that," he said with a dazzling smile.

"So... you're really not mad?"

Dean became serious once more. "Well, no. Can't really blame you, sweetheart. But I have to admit, I kinda suspected it."

"I'm actually surprised she didn't tell you before," Cassie admitted. "So, what made you suspect?" Dean smirked and then rubbed his forehead absentmindedly.

"Well, at first I thought she was younger. She sounded younger on the phone. Truth be told, I was a bit jealous then. But when I saw her and she told me her age... well, the notion was there. Oh... and the fact that she broke into Baby's trunk..."

"She _what_???" Cassie exclaimed.

"Ask Sam if you don't believe me," Dean nodded. Then he looked over his shoulder at the front door on the porch, where Cadie was standing in the frame, watching them. "She's a good kid. And I'm kinda proud she's mine." He inclined his head to steal another kiss from Cassie. "Let's go inside. I'm starving." 

*****spn*****

Breakfast was a noisy affair. Cadie chatted away between bites and sips, Sam tried to keep up with her when in reality he just wanted his brother to drop his grudge over him getting the Impala all dusty. Cassie and Dean kept staring at each other, back to their old game of trying not to get caught doing so by the other. It was driving Sam nuts. Something had happened since his brother detected his violated car. Mary was quietly trying to take in as much as she could. She was watching Dean, then Sam, before deciding something had to be done.

When Sam and herself had driven out to take care of the Griffin, Mary had asked Sam to tell her about Dean and Cassie. She knew they had the hots for each other last time they were there on the case involving Cassie's father. And from Sam's words she learned that it wasn't their first time and that Cassie knew in what line their job was laying. She knew about ghosts and other supernatural beings, she might as well learn the other aspects of their trade.

Dean's body language was a mixture of hiding pain from his injuries and devouring Cassie with his eyes everytime she looked somewhere else but him. Sam's posture was tight, on edge. He felt bad about his brother being hurt, and about Dean blaming him for Baby's current state. Yet Mary could sense there was a vibe of being playfully annoyed at the turn things were obviously taking between Dean and Cassie, as well as curiosity about what the two had been talking about outside. Cadie was excited, giddy, chatting away with her mouth full until she got reprimanded by her mother. 

"Alright, kids. I think it's time to come clean with some things," Mary broke the sociable chatter when everyone had finished eating. "We've had a few eventful days and I think everyone here might have some unanswered questions, that probably should be cleared up sooner rather than later."

Sam and Dean both looked a bit panicked at her words, but they knew she was likely to be right. Secrets were neccessary. But they were also awkward between trusted friends. Cassie joined them in looking at her and even Cadie stopped flicking some crumbs across the table with her thumb and index finger. 

"I'm not really their cousin," Mary explained, looking at Cassie and her daughter. Cassie frowned.

"You're not? Then who are you to them?"

"I'm their mother," Mary simply supplied.

"Their m... wait. Wait, wait, wait." Cassie was confused, not sure she heard right. Cadie made big eyes, studying Mary anew. Cassie took a deep breath and held it for a moment. Then she looked Dean squarely in the face. "You told me your mother died in a fire when Sam was only a baby." There was no malice in her voice, only genuine confusion.

"She did," Dean responded, keeping eye contact. 

"But...?" Cassie pointed at Mary and shrugged.

"Cassie, baby, there are things and forces in this universe that you don't know anything about. You know about some, like ghosts, or this Griffin now. But those are merely the tip of the iceberg. And I'm talking Titanic sinking iceberg." Dean started explaining. "It will take a long time to get to know it all. For now you and Cadie should know that since we've last been here, both Sam and I died a few times over."

Cadie gasped, mouth ajar. Cassie's frown deepened.

"There are powers at work that have control over life and death. Witches. Demons. Angels..."

"Angels are real?" Cadie's eyebrows shot up. "So you weren't joking about the angel feather." She looked at Sam who shook his head in confirmation.

"Yes, Cadie. They are. We helped set things right between two ancient, very powerful... entities... and as a thank you of sorts, they brought Mom back. After thirty odd years of... being dead."

"Wow," Cassie said after a few moments of silence. "That sounds... unbelievable. Mary, things must be so weird for you."

"They are, honey, but I'm adjusting," Mary smiled. "It's kinda hard at times, however, like one minute having two small boys and the next moment you recall, they've grown into tall young men with a liking for hunting."

"Which brings us back to playing with an open deck," Dean jumped in before Cassie could question Mary further. "Mom?"

Mary looked up and into her oldest son's eyes.

"The other day you were asking about grandchildren? You got one now, in Cadie."

**THE END**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There... it's done. Hope you enjoyed the ride. I'm leaving here with the option of a follow up... thoughts?

**Author's Note:**

> The usual disclaimers are active. I don't know how often and fast I will update, but I got the story laid out in my head already. Only have to find time to type it.
> 
> If you like it, let me know ♡


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